Guiding means for corn pickers



Sept.` 11, 1934. E, BRQOKS 1,973,045

' GUIDING MEANS FOR CORN PICKERS Filed Dec. 15, 195o 4 2 sheen-sheet 1 :inventor Earl Brooks Sept. l1, 1934. E. BRooKs GUIDING MEANS FOR CORN PICKERS Filed Dec. l5, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I snventor l Earl Brooks A Gttorncg Patented Sept. 11, 1934 Umreo STA/res PATENT f 1 Claim.

The present invention relates to agricultural machines, and more particularly to an improved construction in corn pickers.

An object Vof the present invention is to provide improved means for installation uponk a corn picker for steering and guiding the -same to ymaintain it in alignment with rows off corn plants, particularly when the same are curved o r out vof line. l 'j A Another object of the present invention lis to provide an improved construction of steering means for corn pickers which may be adjusted s o as to take up the side thrust incident to the lateral connection vof the tractor, and which is provided with means for locking the steering apparatusr when desired to hold the corn picker at the required offset angular position Vwith re' speelt .to Ythe tractor.

. Another object of the present invention is'to provide .a construction of this characterwhich embodies but few parts and which may v'be readily-incorporated irl a picker structure without alterationJ Vor'ch'aige in the usual construction thereof.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be more fully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer t30I to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a corn picker with its tractor, the picker being provided with Y the improved or guiding means of this inven- Figure 2 is a fragmentary rear elevation of the steering wheels and their adjacent parts, showing the improved guiding means applied thereto.

Figure 3 is an elevation of the inner side of one of the steering wheels showing the guiding attachment thereon, and

Figure 4 is a detail View showing in side elevation one of the stub axles for a steering wheel.

Referring now to the drawings, and first to Figure 1, designates a tractor of any suitable type for drawing and operating the corn picker. The tractor 10 is pvotally connected to the forward end of a drawbar 11 which preferably diverges at its rear end and is pivotally connected at 12 at spaced apart points to the forward side and adjacent one end of a corn picker frame 13. The frame 13 is substantially rectangular in plan and is provided toward its inner end, substantially in the drawbar 11, with husking mecha- 55- line with nism 14 whichleads to a laterallyand inwardly extending elevator 1 5 adapted tof"o'verhalfg' `a Wagon or other vehicle for carifyingofffthA 'picked and husked ears'of corn which yI,ray be 'con' d to a storage bin, lelevator ork'ith'ei"4 sit'able p forstorage and use'.r L f ff The outer' end'of'the frame 13 is provided ,with a forwardly projecting picker lmember 15 fof-,usual construction adapted for operation over`.two.siib stantiauy parailei owsfor complaints'. "Inepiek'er 65" member is provided with the usual corn' stripping rollers' 1,6 at .the inner ends or ,tire Vthroats ,of .tte

picker mermbezrrand .thelfor' 'L portions ofthe' pickr ,membe the usual guides 17. j i

"",Ihe illustrationoA .thefoorn picker .ilsslorne whatzdi ,gramniatieyas tileidetaiagtherlenfim; no perror the present invention; i'

ing" an abutment for the" inner' side 'of the: hub of the wheel 18 and which also carries a nut 21 or the l like on the outer end of the stub axle 19 for de- 80A tachably holding the wheel 18 thereon. The fork 20 is disposed substantially vertically and is pivotally connected by means of a pin 22 to an adjacent axle section 23 which is bolted or otherwise suitably secured to the underside of the 85 main frame 13 of the corn picker. These axle sections 23 may be disposed in transversely offset relation with respect to the line of draft as shown in Figure 1, or be mounted in any other suitable arrangement found desired and necessary. 90

Each fork 20 is provided at its inner end with a transverse opening 24 which may or may not be threaded to receive therethrough the forward end of a steering arm 25. The forward extremity of each steering arm 25 is provided with a binding 95 nut 26 or the like for securing the arm 25 rigidly to the fork 20 so that the swinging of the arms 25 effect the corresponding swinging movements of the stub axles 19.

The arms 25 extend rearwardly from their re- 100 spective forks 20 and are of different lengths depending upon the offset mounting of the axle sections 23 so as to dispose the rear ends of the arms 25 in transverse alignment. A connecting rod 27 extends between the rear ends of the arms 165 25 and the rod 27 may be forked at opposite ends to engage over eyes 28 on the rear ends of the arms 25 and to receive coupling bolts 29 whichv pivotally connect the rod 2'7 to the arms 25.,

Disposed forwardly of the seat 30 of the corn 712170 picker is a substantially vertical steering shaft 31 mounted in the frame 13 and which at its upper end is provided with a hand wheel 32 adapted to be rotated for turning the shaft 31.

The lower end of the shaft 31 carries a chain 33 which is anchored intermediate its ends to the shaft 31 and which is rolled thereon in opposite directions, the opposite ends of the chain 33 being connected by eyes 34 or the like to the connecting rod 27 at points spaced from the opposite sides of the shaft 31. f

The frame 13 is provided with a locking pin 35 which is disposed vertically in alignment with the rear edge portion of the connecting rod 2'7 whenV the latter is shifted forwardly by the turning of the wheels 18 to the desired extent and at an angle i to the line of draft, as shown in Figure 1. The pin 35 is adapted to be moved downwardly against the rod 37 to hold it from moving backwardly, and thus hold the wheels 18 in their angular adjustment.

- In operation, the tractorlO is adapted to travel over the unharvested ground as indicated at 36 in Figure 1, while the corn picker is adapted to travel behind the tractor at one end and to project at its other or outer end over a section of the` unharvested ground, as indicated at 37 in Figure 1.

` The picker member 15 extends forwardly from the outer end of the picker and is adapted to register with two adjacent rows of the corn and, if

the rows vary from a straight path, as shown in Figure 1, the attendant on the seat may operate the hand wheel 32, when the pin is released from the connecting rod 27,Y to swing the there is also obviated the necessity of hand picking the corn after the passage of the picker thereover which results in an increase in the cost of labor.

The mechanism of the corn picker may be operated from the tractor through a suitable power take-off shaft 38 which may be disposed adjacent to the drawbar 11.

In order to overcome the side draft incident to the connection of the tractor 10 through the drawb'ar 11 andthe inner end of the frame 13, the steering wheels 18 may be adjusted into an outwardly turned or angular position, such as shown in Figure 1, and the pin 35 may then be moved into position to lock the wheels when set. Of course when the transverse alignment of the picker is to be changed to meet conditions of irregular corn rows, the pin 35 may be quickly released and the hand wheel 32 operated. y

It is obvious that Various changes and modifications may be made in the ldetails vof construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes andinodications being restricted only by the scope offthe following claim:

IWhat is Vclaimed ist- A corn picking device, comprising acorn picker having a wide frame with a single pivotedV supporting wheel at each side of the frame, picking fingers projecting forwardly from one' side portion of the frame, steering means 'interconnecting said supporting wheels and havinga handwheel at said side portion of the frame, andaV 

